Harry Potter, A Slytherin?
by Jokopoko
Summary: Harry and Draco have a better meeting in the robe shop, and that changes things, R&R (Will continue)
1. Diagon Alley

Harry Potter, A Slytherin?  
  
Diagon Ally  
  
Note: Some parts are taken from the book, I change the pro-Gryffindor and anti-Slytherin bits  
  
One wild cart-ride later they (Harry and Hagrid) stood blinking in the sunlight outside Gringotts. Harry didn't know where to run first now that he had a bag full of money. He didn't have to know how many Galleons there were to a pound to know that he was holding more money than he'd had in his whole life - more money than even the Dudley had ever had.  
  
"Might as well get yer uniform," said Hagrid, nodding towards Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions. "Listen, Harry would yeh mind if I slipped off fer a pick-me-up in the Leaky Cauldron? I hate them Gringotts carts". He did still look a bit sick, so Harry entered Madam Malkin's shop alone, feeling nervous.  
  
Madam Malkin was a squat, smiling witch dressed all in mauve. "Hogwarts, dear?" She said, when Harry started to speak. "Got the lot here - another young man being fitted up just now, in fact".  
  
In the back of the shop, a boy with a pale, pointed face was standing on a footstool while a second witch pinned up his long black robes. Madam Malkin stood Harry on the stool next to him, slipped a long robe over his head and began to pin it to the right length.  
  
"Hullo," said the boy, "Hogwarts too?"  
"Yes," said Harry.  
"I'm Draco Malfoy, pleased to meet you" He said offering his hand, which annoyed the witch who was fitting him.  
"My names Harry Potter, and if what Hagrid's told me is true, you already now a lot about me" He said taking Draco's hand and shaking it  
The boy look a bit surprised when Harry told him his name but then he spoke again.  
"I thought you might be coming to Hogwarts this year, my farther has contacts in the Ministry and they've been keeping an eye on you"  
"Have they?" Asked Harry, wondering to himself what the Ministry was.  
"Do you like to play Quidditch, oh no of course you don't living with Muggles that's awful isn't it"  
"Your telling me, any way what's Quidditch?" Harry asked  
"It's to complicated to describe now, I'll tell you at Hogwarts if your in Slytherin that is" Draco said with a hit of laughter  
"What's Slytherin" Harry asked, but before Draco could answer Madam Malkin said "That's you done my dear" She said to Harry lifting off his robes.  
"Well see you in September Harry!" Draco called after him as he bought his robes and walked out.  
"See you Draco" Harry called back waving.  
  
Shortly after that Harry had found Hagrid with some ice-cream he had bought him (chocolate and raspberry with chopped nuts). After they ate their food they went to get parchment, ink and quills, Harry started to laugh when he found a bottle of ink that changed colour as you wrote. When they left the shop he said "Hagrid, I still need to get my books and a wand". "Well for books you need Flourish and Blotts and for a wand you need to go to Ollivanders"  
"Which ones closer?" Asked Harry.  
"That would be Flourish and Blotts, so I guess we'll go there firs".  
  
When they reached Flourish and Blotts Harry was gob smacked at how many books there were, shelves were stacked to the ceiling with books as large as paving stones bound in leather; books the size of postage stamps in covers of silk; books full of peculiar symbols and a few books with nothing at all.  
  
Hagrid had to drag Harry away from Curse and Counter-Curses by Professor Vindictus Viridian.  
"I was trying to find out how to curse Dudley.  
"I'm not sayin' that's not a good idea, but yer not ter use magic in the Muggle world except in very special circumstances" Hagrid warned him.  
  
When they finished buying the books Hagrid checked Harrys list. "Just yer wand left - oh yeah, an' I still haven't got yeh a birthday present"  
Harry felt himself go red.  
"You don't have to -"  
"I know I don't have to. Tell yeh what, I'll get yer a animal, now what would you like, yes an Owl. Now Harry you just go to Ollivanders and get yer wand and then wait fer me OK?"  
"All right Hagrid" Harry answered.  
  
The shop was narrow and shabby. Peeling gold letters over the door read Ollivanders: Makers of Fine Wands since 382 BC. A single wand lay on the faded purple cushion in the dusty window.  
  
A tinkling bell rang as Harry stepped into the shop, Harry felt as if he had entered a very strict library; he swallowed a lot of new questions with had just occurred to him as he made his way up to the counter. The very dust and silence in here seemed to tingle with some secret magic.  
  
"Good afternoon," said a soft voice. Harry jumped. An old man was standing before him, his wide, pale eyes shining like moons through the gloom of the shop.  
"Hello," said Harry awkwardly  
"Ah yes," said the man "Yes, yes. I thought I'd be seeing you soon, Mr Potter. It seems just yesterday your mother was in here buying first wand. Ten and a quarter inches long, swishy, made of willow. Nice wand for charm work".  
  
Mr Ollivander moved closer to Harry. Harry wished he would blink. Those silvery eyes were quite creepy.  
  
"Your farther, on the other hand, favoured a mahogany wand. Eleven inches. Pliable. A little more power and excellent for transfiguration. Well, I say your farther favoured in - it's really the wand that chooses the wizard, of course."  
  
Mr Ollivander had come so close that he and Harry were almost nose to nose. Harry could see himself reflected in those misty eyes.  
"Now, to your wand Harry" He said suddenly. "Which is your wand arm?"  
"Er - well, I'm right-handed," said Harry  
"Hold out your arm. That's it" He said while pulling out a long tape measure with silver markings out of his pocket. He measured Harry from shoulder to finger, then wrist to elbow, shoulder to floor, knee to armpit and round his head. As me measured he said, "Every Ollivanders wand has a core of a powerful magical substance, Mr Potter. We use unicorn hairs, phoenix tail feathers and the heartstrings of dragons. No two Ollivander wands are the same, just as no two unicorns, dragons or phoenix are quite the same".  
  
Harry suddenly realised that the tape measure, which was measuring between his nostrils, was doing this on it's own while Mr Ollivander was flitting around the shelves, taking down boxes.  
  
"That will do," he said, and the tape measure crumpled into a heap on the floor. "Right then Mr Potter. Try this one. Beechwood and dragon heartstring. Nine inches. Nice and flexible. Just take it and give it a wave."  
  
Harry took the wand and (felling foolish) waved it around a bit, but Mr Ollivander snatched it out of his hand almost at once.   
  
"Maple and phoenix feather. Seven inches. Quite whippy. Try -". Harry tried - but he had hardly raised the wand when it, too, was snatched back by Mr Ollivander.  
  
Harry tried and tried. He had no idea what Mr Ollivander was waiting for. His pile of 'tried' wands was growing ever higher so it was almost touching the ceiling.  
  
"Tricky customer eh? Not to worry, I'm sure we have the right wand for you here some where". After saying this Mr Ollivander dissappeared right to the back of the shop for some time. He came back holing another case containing a wand and muttering "I wonder, now - yes, why not - unusual combination - holly and phoenix feather, eleven inches, nice and supple."  
  
Harry took the wand and felt a sudden stream of warmth in his fingers. He raised the wand over his head, brought it down through the dusty air and a stream of multicoloured sparks shot out the end like fireworks.  
  
"Oh, bravo! Yes, indeed, oh, very good. Well, well, well ... how curious... how very curious ..."  
"Sorry," said Harry "but what's curious?"   
  
Mr Ollivander fixed Harry in his pale stare.  
  
"I remember every wand I've ever sold, Mr Potter. Every single wand. I t so happens that the phoenix whose feather is in your wand, gave another feather - just one other. It is very curious indeed that you should be destined for this wand when it's brother - why, it's brother gave you that scar."  
  
Harry shivered. He wasn't sure he liked Mr Ollivander too much. He paid seven Galleons for his wand and Mr Ollivander bowed him from his shop. When Harry got out side he saw Hagrid with a beautiful snowy owl in a cage. "Happy birthday Harry" He said cheerfully.  
  
The late-afternoon sun hung low in the sky as Harry and Hagrid made their way back down Diagon Alley, back through the wall, back through the Leaky Cauldron, now empty. Harry didn't speak at all as they walked down the Muggle road; he didn't even notice how many people were gawping at them with all the funny shaped packages and Hedwig in her cage.  
  
He and Hagrid had a late lunch before Harrys train came that would take him back to the Dursley. When it arrived Hagrid helped Harry on and handed him an envelope.  
  
"Yer ticket fer Hogwarts," he said "First o' Septemper - Kings Cross - it's all on yer ticket".   
  
The train pulled out out of the station. Harry wanted to watch Hagrid until he was out of site; he rose in his seat and pressed his nose against the wndow, but he blinked and Hagrid had gone. 


	2. To Hogwarts

Harry Potter, A Slytherin?  
  
To Hogwarts  
  
Harry's last month with the Dursleys wasn't fun. True, now Dudley knew he was a wizard he wouldn't stay in the same room with him for more than two seconds, and it was fun to watch him bolt out of the room at alarming speed whenever Harry muttered something under his breath. Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia didn't shut Harry in his room, or the cupboard, force him to do anything or shout at him. They acted as if he was not there.  
  
And even Harry had to admit, it was getting quite depressing after a while. On the last day of August he thought he better ask Uncle Vernon about geting to Kings Cross station the next day, so he went down in to the living-room where they were watching a quiz show. He cleared his throat to say he was there and Dudley let out a scream and ran right out of the room.  
  
"Er - Uncle Vernon?" Harry started.  
Uncle Vernon grunted to show he was listing.  
"Er - I need to be at King's Cross tomorrow to - to go to Hogwarts.  
Uncle Vernon grunted again.  
"Would it be all right if you gave me a lift?"  
Grunt. Harry supposed this meant yes.  
"Thank you".  
  
He was about to leave the room to go upstairs to pack his things when Uncle Vernon actually spoke.  
"Funny way to get to a wizards' school, the train, Magic carpets all got punctures, have they?"  
Harry didn't say anything.  
"Where is this ruddy school anyway?"  
"I don't know" said Harry, just realising this for the first time. He pulled out the ticket Hagrid had given him out of his pocket.   
"I just take the train from platform nine and three-quarters at eleven o'clock" he read.  
His aunt and uncle stared  
"Platform what?".  
"Nine and three-quarters".  
"Barking," said Uncle Vernon, "howling mad, the lot of them. You'll see. You just wait. All right, we'll take you to King Cross, we're going to London tomorrow anyway, or I wouldn't bother".  
"Why are you going to London?" Harry asked, trying to keep things friendly.  
"Taking Dudley to the hospital." Growled Uncle Vernon "Got to get rid of that ruddy tail before he goes to Smeltings".  
  
The next morning Harry woke at five o'clock and was to excited and nervous to go back to sleep. He got up and got dressed and went downstairs with his case and read one of the of his school books for a while. Afterwards, after hearing sounds of the Dursleys waking up Harry started to pace the room waiting for them to get down stairs. Two hours later, Harry's huge trunk had been loaded into the Dursleys' car. Aunt Petunia had talked Dudley into sitting next to Harry and they had set off.  
  
They reached Kings Cross at half past ten. Uncle Vernon dumped Harry's trunk and Hedwig on a trolley and wheeled through the station Harry thought this was strangely kind until they arrived at the barrier separating platforms nine and ten, Uncle Vernon stopped dead, facing the platforms with a nasty grin on his face.  
  
"Well there you are, boy. Platform nine - platform ten. Your platform should be somewhere in the middle, but they must not have built it yet have they?" He was quite right, of course. There was a big plastic number nine over one platform, and a big plastic number ten over the other, and in the middle nothing.  
"Have a good term," said Uncle Vernon with an even nastier smile. He left without another word. Harry turned and saw the Dursleys drive away. All three of them were laughing. Harry' mouth went dry, what was he going to do. But just at that moment he heard a familiar voice.  
  
"Chris, Crabbe, Goyle hurry up my mother is waiting for us!" The voice said. Harry spun round, he knew it was Draco so he headed to where he heard the voice and called   
"Draco, hey Draco wait for me"  
He heard him and spun round and saw him, his face cracked into a grin. "Hey Harry, I was wondering when I would see you here," the other boys had come to see who Draco was talking to "Harry, this is Christopher Arecain, Gregory Goyle and Vincent Crabbe" He pointed to them as he said there names.  
  
Christopher has a medium sized boy with black hair like Harry's and hazel eyes, where as Crabbe and Goyle where big and thick built and stood like body guards around the other two boys. "Pleased to meet you if Draco hasn't already told you, I'm Harry Potter" Harry said putting his hand out for them to shake. Only Chris shook his hand, Harry was glad of this because Crabbe and Goyle looked like they had vice-grips. After that they followed Draco to his Mother who was waiting for them, "Oh Draco, where have you been, the train will be leaving soon you don't want to miss it do you?".  
  
"Sorry mother, I was just introducing Harry to my friends" Draco replied. The moment he had said 'Harry Potter' his mothers eyes and flicked up to Harry's forehead. "My goodness, Harry Potter pleased to meet you, I'm Draco's mother, it's a pleasure for my son to be your friend, I can't talk any more or you will all miss the train, now lets get going".  
  
All Harry could do was watch as Crabbe and Goyle went straight through the brick wall between platforms nine and ten, followed by Chris and then Draco's mother turned to him. "It's your turn Harry" She said "Best do it at a run if your nervous". As he started to run Draco called from behind him "See you on the other side!".  
  
As he heard that Harry went straight through the wall dividing the platforms, and on the other side there was a scarlet steam engine was waiting next to the platform packed with people. He stood there for awhile waiting for Draco to appear, and sure enough a few seconds after Harry came through Draco followed. They proceeded to put their trunks in the luggage compartment, with help from Crabbe and Goyle along with Hedwig and Draco's eagle owl Orpheus. While doing this they heard a voice saying something along the line's of. "Don't worry, ickle Ronniekins is safe with us."  
  
When they were on the train they walked past the compartments looking for Chris, when they found him the whistle blew and the train was off, they sat down and Harry started asking them both about Hogwarts. "First what is Slytherin?" He asked. "Well, Slytherin is one of the four houses at Hogwarts," Draco explained "the other three are Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff and Gryffindor. When we get to Hogwarts your sorted in to your house, but I don't know who they do it". "What about Quidditch then, you said you would tell me at Hogwarts". Draco sighed "All right then there are four balls. The first one is called the Quaffle it's about as big as one of those Muggle footballs. Then two more, there called Bludgers and the final ball is the Golden Snitch".   
  
It went on like this Draco and Chris each taking turns describing the balls, the players, rules and so on. They were in the middle of telling Harry about the match where all 700 fouls were committed, when a short fat witch came to there door with a food trolley. "Any thing from the trolley boys?". They all shared there money and bought something, Harry got Cauldron Cakes and Bertie Bott's every flavour beans, Draco decided on Droobles Best Blowing Gum and the Chocolate frogs and finally Chris got Liquorice Wands and some Pumpkin Pasties.  
  
For the rest of the journey all that could be heard was the sound of content chewing, and muffled laughter as some of the bubble gum blew up on their faces. At about half past five the train stopped and a Prefect came through the train telling people to get off because the train had arrived at a place called Hogsmeade. As they got off Harry heard Hagrid's voice shouting. "Firs years this way" he said waving his arm towards a fleet of small boats. Harry, Draco and Chris all got in to the same boat and they started to move by them selves (by magic Harry guessed) as they rounded the corner of the river they saw it, Hogwarts! 


	3. The Sorting Hat

Harry Potter, A Slytherin?  
  
The Sorting Hat  
  
  
And they saw it Hogwarts! It was and amazing site, it sat on the other side of the lake and had so many towers Harry suspected that it was properly held up by magic. The fleet of tiny boats glided across the lake, which was as smooth as glass. Every one was silent, staring up at the great castle overhead. It towered over them as they sailed nearer and nearer to the cliff on which it stood.  
  
"Heads down!" Yelled Hagrid as the first boats reached the cliff, they all bent their heads and the little boats carried them through a curtain of ivy which hid a wide opening in the cliff face. They went through a dark tunnel, which must be under the castle Harry thought, until they reached a harbour underground. "Oy, you there! Is this your toad?" Hagrid called to a podgy round boy. "Trevor!" Cried the boy blissfully, holding out his hands.  
  
The clambered up a passageway in the rock after Hagrid's lamp, coming out at last on to the smooth, damp grass right in the shadow of Hogwarts. They walked up a flight of stone steps until coming to a huge oak door. "Every one here? You still got yer toad?". Hagrid raised a gigantic fist and knocked three times on the castle door.  
  
The door swung open at once. A tall, black haired witch in emerald green robes was standing there, she gave Harry the impression she was not some one you should cross. "The firs'-years, Professor McGonagall" said Hagrid.  
"Thank you, Hagrid. I will take them from here."  
  
She pulled the door wide. The entrance hall was so big you could have fitted the Dursleys house inside. The walls were lit with torches, like the one's in Gringotts, the ceiling was too high to make out, and a magnificent marble staircase facing them led to the upper floors. Professor McGonagall led them up the stairs and the sounds of a hundred or so feet could be heard echoing all around the hall. Harry could hear the drone of hundreds of voices from the door way to his right- the rest of the school must already be in there - but the Professor lead them into a small empty chamber off the hall.  
  
"Welcome to Hogwarts," said Professor McGonagall. "The start-of-term banquet will begin shortly, but before you can take your places in the Great Hall you must be sorted into your houses, the sorting is a very special ceremony because while you are here your house is like your home you will sleep house dormitory, take classes with your house , your achievements will gain your house points while misbehaviour will lose you points. The house with the most points at the end of term will win the house cup. There are four houses Slytherin, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff and Gryffindor. Each house has it's own noble history, and all have produced out standing witches and wizards. The sorting ceremony will take place in front of the rest of the school, once you are sorted you will take your place at your house table. And I suggest that you tidy your selves up while you are waiting".  
  
"I shall return when we are ready for you" The Professor finished. "Please wait quietly". She left the chamber and Harry swallowed. "Do you know how they sort us?" He asked Draco. "Oh don't worry, all you have to is put some stupid old hat and it shouts out what house you should go in, my farther told me". Harry felt like a weight lift off his shoulders his was about to say thanks to Draco for telling him, but some boy with red hair cut him off. "Oh don't be stupid, it's not going to be a stupid hat my brothers told me it's much worse".  
  
"So who are you, oh I can guess red hair, freckles your a Weasley aren't you". "What's it to you anyway" The boy said rudely. "Just wondering," Draco said coldly red spots of anger appearing on his high cheekbones, "I'm Malfoy anyway, Draco Malfoy.".  
  
The boy let out a snigger. "Something funny Weasley?" Snapped Draco. "Only your name, I've heard some nasty stories about your Dad, wasn't he on trial a few years ago?". "What my Father did is no concern of yours. Keep your business to yourself. "Draco hissed turning away from the boys jeering face.  
  
"Who was that?" Harry asked curiously, frowning at the red head. "One of the Weasley family, my Father and his don't get on very well, he seems to think it appropriate to take it out on me". At that moment Professor McGonagall came back through the doors. "Now form a line" she told the first years "and follow me". Feeling oddly as if his legs had turned to lead, Harry got in to line behind a sandy haired boy with Draco behind him, and they walked out of the chamber into the Great Hall.  
  
Harry had never imagined such a strange and splendid place. The hall was lit by thousands of candles that were floating in mid-air over four long tables, which had the rest of the students sitting at them. These tables were all laid with glittering gold plates and goblets. At front of the hall there was another table where the teachers were sitting. Draco poked Harry in the back and pointed to the ceiling, Harry looked up and was enchanted by the sight of thousands of stars on the ceiling, He was going to ask Draco who had painted it when he heard a girl with bushy hair saying. " It's bewitched to look like the sky out side, I read it in Hogwarts A History".  
  
Harry quickly looked down again as Professor McGonagall silently placed a four legged stool in front of the first years. On the top of the of the stool she put an old wizards hat. Harry noted with quiet satisfaction that the look of superiority had vanished from the Weasley's face. A few of the other students were nudging each other, pointing at Weasley and giggling The boy must have noticed him grinning and scowled back at him fiercely.   
  
The hat twitched. A rip near the brim opened wide like a mouth - and the hat began to sing:  
  
"Oh you may not think I'm pretty,  
But don't judge on what you see,  
I'll eat myself if you can find  
A smarter hat than me.  
You can keep your bowlers black,  
Your top hats sleek and tall,  
For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat  
And I can top them all.  
There's nothing hidden in your head  
The Sorting Hat can't see  
So try me on and I will tell you   
Where you ought to be.  
You might belong in Gryffindor,  
Where dwell the brave of heart  
Their daring nerve and chivalry  
Set Gryffindors apart;  
You might belong in Hufflepuff,  
Where they are just and loyal,  
Those patient Hufflepuffs are true  
And unafraid of toil;  
Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,  
If you've a ready mind,  
Where those of wit and learning,  
Will always find their kind;  
Or perhaps in Slytherin  
You'll make your real friends,  
Those cunning folk use any means  
To achieve their ends.  
So put me on! Don't be afraid!  
And don't get in a flap!  
You're in safe hands (though I have none)  
For I'm a thinking Cap!"  
  
The whole hall burst into applause as the hat finished it's song. It bowed to each of the four houses and then became quite still again. Professor McGonagall now stepped forward holding a long roll of parchment. "When I call your name, you will but the hat on and sit on the stool to be sorted," she said, "Abbott, Hannah!"  
  
A pink faced girl with blonde pigtails stumbled out of line, put on the hat, which fell right down over her eyes, and sat down. A moments pause-  
"HUFFLEPUFF!" Shouted the hat.  
The table on the right cheered and clapped as Hannah went to sit down at Hufflepuff table. Harry saw the ghost of the Fat Friar waving merrily at her.  
  
"Arecain, Christopher!" Called McGonagall  
Harry watched as Chris walked out of the line and sat down with the hat on, once again there was a moments pause and the hat shouted-  
"SLYTHERIN!"  
Chris took the hat off and went to sit with the others Slytherins who were all cheering.  
  
About twenty other names were called out, twenty different people approaching the hat with various degrees of nervousness. Harry was finally jerked out of his daydream over which house he'd go into when Draco elbowed past him in response to "Malfoy, Draco." Draco was lucky, the hat had been on his head only seconds before it declared him to be a Slytherin. Harry's mind was definitely made up now. Two of his new friends had gone into Slytherin house, he was going to aim for that.  
  
"Potter, Harry."  
  
Ignoring the bushfire of whispers that was breaking out behind him Harry approached the stool, legs shaking.  
"Hello Potter Harry," chirped a voice in his ear, "having a nice day?"  
  
"Yes I suppose," thought Harry.  
  
"Hmmm....." The hat appeared to be thinking. Harry sat there staring into the inky blackness of the hat's lining for a good thirty seconds before it chose to speak.  
  
"Well Harry, you're a difficult one to place. A good mind, plenty of courage and oh yes that's a nice desire to prove yourself. Full of ambition are we Harry?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"So I think Slytherin would be the place for you, don't you agree?" Even though he did Harry didn't have the chance to say so before the hat shouted "SLYTHERIN!" to the hall as a whole. As Harry removed the hat he could here whispers all around the hall but he didn't care, there was silence for about 30 seconds until the Slytherins realised what had happend, and any whispers where drowned out by there cheers a Harry made his way over to their table.  
"Well done Harry, best house of them all I mean it's got US init hasn't it" Draco said grinning, along with some of the larger Slytherins.  
  
Harry didn't really pay attention to the sorting until the name "Weasley, Ronald!" Was calle out, and Harry watched as the red head went up to the stool and put the hat over his head. While he was sorted Harry whispered to Draco "I hope that fool isn't in our house". "Don't worry, you see that large crowd of red heads over there" he said, pointing to the Gryffindor table "there all Weasley, he'll be in Gryffindor with the rest of them". And sure enough, no more than two seconds later the hat screamed "GRYFFINDOR!"  
  
The last name on the list "Zabini, Blasie" came forward to try on the hat. When it finally called out Slytherin and she removed the hat Harry was struck by her long dark mass of balck curls and large dark eyes. He soon remember to clap however as she went over to join them, Professor McGonagall rolled up the parchment and took away the sorting hat. Harry looked down at his plate, it had just struck him how hungry he was.   
  
Albus Dumbledore had got yo his feet. He was beaming at the students, his arms open wide, as if nothing could of pleased him more than to see them all there. "Welcome!" he said "Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts! Before we begin our banquet, I would like to say a few words. And here they are: Nitwit! Blunder! Oddment! Tweak!, thank you. And now to our food!"  
  
Harry looked at the plates, suddenly they were filled with food and the goblets with drinks. Harry looked up and down his house table, at last he felt at home! 


	4. Home at last

Harry Potter, A Slytherin?  
  
Home at last  
  
Harry looked at the plates, suddenly they were filled with food and the goblets with drinks. Harry looked up and down his house table, at last he felt at home.  
  
As the other Slytherins began taking the food from the plates and drinking from the goblets Harry turned to Steven Darmont, a Slytherin prefect Draco introduced to him while the sorting was going on.  
  
"Steven?" Harry began. "Yeah, what is it?" He replied while drinking some pumpkin juice. "Is Dumbledore a little - you know - soft in the head?". Steven laughed a little at this and looked at Harry.  
  
"Your catching on quick aren't you Harry. Yeah I'd say he is but all the Gryffindors think he's some sort of Angel in wizards clothing, their all soft if you ask me" He said.  
  
A little happier now Harry began piling his plate with all manner of food's he could reach to. The Dursleys hand never really starved him but, then again, they'd never given him what he wanted or would have liked. Dudley had always taken anything Harry wanted, even if it made him sick.  
  
As he and Draco were eating and talking Harry noticed what looked like a ghost covered in silver blood stains sitting a few places from Draco. "Hey Draco, who's that ghost down there?" He asked uncertainly. "Oh, my farther told me about him before we left - erm - oh yeah, he's the Bloody Baron. He's our house ghost, all the houses have one I think"  
  
"Does any one know why's he's got Blood all over him?" Harry said. "No" Draco said with a grin "No one's been brave enough to ask him I think". As the food began to dwindle on their plates the crumbs and left overs disappeared and were replaced by the most wonderful deserts Harry had ever seen. Blocks of ice-cream in every flavour he could of imagined, apple pies, treacle tarts, chocolate éclairs and jam doughnuts, trifle, strawberries, jelly, rice pudding ...  
  
As Harry reached out for a treacle tart the Slytherin first year, who were all sitting together, began talking about their families. And Harry soon found out that most, if not all, the Slytherins were what Draco called 'Pure-Blood' which meant that they were from all Wizard and Witch families with no direct Muggle relations.   
  
"Well, my mum's a Ministry Witch" Chris was saying "She works for the department of mysteries, I've no idea what she does. And my Dad works for Gringotts back, he's a cures breaker in Rome and other parts of the old roman empire says he'll take me there some day"  
  
"What about you Draco?" Harry asked  
  
"My farther, he works in the Ministry as well and he's a school governor and my Mother stays at home mostly, sometimes going out for thinks and such but our House-Elf does most of the work for her at home" He finished.  
Harry, and the others he guessed, was starting to feel a bit tried and warm and he looked up to the high table again. Hagrid was drinking deeply from his goblet. Professor McGonagall was talking to Professor Dumbledore. Professor Quirrell, in that stupid turban, was talking to a teacher with greasy black hair, a hooked nose and sallow skin.  
  
It happened very suddenly. The hook-nosed teacher looked past Quirrell's turban straight into Harry's eyes - and a sharp, hot pain shot across the scar on Harry's forehead.  
  
"Ouch!" Harry clapped a hand on his head.  
"What is it?" Asked Steven.  
"N-nothing"  
  
The pain had gone as quickly as it had come. Harder to shake off was the feeling Harry had got from the teacher's look - a feeling that Harry didn't like at all.  
  
"Who's that teacher over there talking to Professor Quirrell?" He asked Steven  
"Oh, you know Quirrell already do you? That's Professor Snape, our house-head and Potions teacher, but we all know that he'd rather be doing Quirrell's job. He knows loads about the Dark Arts"  
  
Harry watched Snape for a while but Snape didn't look back at him again.  
  
At last, the puddings too had disappeared and Professor Dumbledore got to his feet again. The Hall feel silent.  
  
"Ahem - just a few more words now we are all fed and watered. I have a few start-of-term notices to give you. First-years should note that the forest in the grounds is forbidden to all pupils. And a few older students would do well to remember that as well".  
  
Dumbledore's twinkling eyes flashed in the direction of two of the Redhead's on the Gryffindor table who were identical, twins Harry thought to him self.   
  
"I have also been asked my Mr. Filch, the caretaker, to remind you all that no magic should be used between classes in the corridors. Quiddich trials will be held in the second week of term. Anyone interested in playing for their house teams should contact Madam Hooch. And finally, I must tell you that this year, the third-floor corridor on the right-hand side is out of bounds to every one who does not wish to die a most painful death".  
  
Some people around the Great Hall laughed at this, but they were few and far between.  
  
Harry turned to Draco "He's not serious is he?". "My guess is that he is, but why should we care? There isn't anything there that really concerns us is there?" Draco pointed out correctly.  
  
"And now, before we go to bed, let us sing the school song!" Cried Dumbledore. Harry noticed that the other teachers smiles had become rather fixed.  
  
Dumbledore gave his wand a little flick as if he was trying to get a fly off the end and a long gold ribbon flew out of it, which rose high above the tables and twisted itself snake-like into words.  
  
"Everyone pick their favourite tune," said Dumbledore, "and off we go!"  
And the school bellowed:  
  
'Hogwarts, Hogwarts, Hoggy Warty Hogwarts,  
Teach us something please,  
Whether we be old and bald  
Or young with scabby knees,  
Out heads could do with filling  
With some interesting stuff,  
For now they're bare and full of air,  
Dead flies and bit of fluff,  
So teach us things worth knowing,  
Bring back what we've forgot,  
Just do your best, we'll do the rest,  
And learn until our brains all rot.'  
  
Everybody finished the song at different times. At last, only the Weasley twins were left singing along to a very slow funeral march. Dumbledore conducted their last few lines with his wand, and when they had finished, he was one of those who clapped loudest.  
  
"Ah, music," he said, wiping his eyes. "A music beyond all we do here! And now, bedtime. Off you trot!"  
  
Steven lead the Slytherin first-years out of the Great Hall and towards the Dungeon entrance near the back of the entrance hall and they saw the Gryffindors head up the marble staircase. They were lead down the stone steps into the darkness as the sound of about twenty footsteps echoed around them.  
  
When they reached the bottom they were lead through a series of labyrinthine passages as the subjects of the paintings watched them pass and began whispering to each other. On a few occasions Steven lead them through secret passages hidden in the walls and paintings of the passages until they finally came to a stretch of bare damp stone wall which Steven pointed to.  
  
"This," he began, "Is the entry to out common room, each house has one and only house members know how to get into the their respective house. Each house has a password and ours, at the moment, is 'Vice versa'". After he said this a hidden door slid back and revealed the Slytherin common room to them.  
  
It was a long, low underground room with rough stone walls and ceiling, from which round, greenish lamps were hanging on chains. A fire was crackling under an elaborately carved mantelpiece ahead of them, and several large green chairs were silhouetted around it.  
  
"The boy dorm is along the common room and down on your right, girls same on your left" Steven said pointing out the directions to them.  
  
The downs went down the stairs to, at last, find their beds: Five four-posters hung with green velvet curtains. Theirs trunks had been brought down and were by the beds. They were all to tired to talk much, not that Crabbe and Goyle ever did say much. They got ready and climbed into bed. Harry had things he wanted to ask, but he just fell straight to sleep. 


End file.
